An application was filed with the Mumbai Police under the Right to Information (RTI) Act seeking to get information about the protection provided to the VIPs, VVIPs and foreign dignitaries and a copy of a circular issued in this regard.

The reply to the application stated that the demanded information could not be provided as it was “excluded under provisions exempting such information” following which the applicant approached the State Information Commission.

The information commissioner directed that the required information be provided to the appellant citing that exemption cannot be made an easy escape route for denying information. However, despite the information commissioner’s order, no satisfactory information was provided by the police department.

During the hearing, the public information officer of the police department didn’t provide any information citing reasons of “confidentiality” by his senior officer. The chief information commissioner of the SIC passed an order on July 15, 2013 directing the Mumbai’s police commissioner to hold an inquiry into the additional commissioner of police (head of protection and security measures) who is suspected to have stonewalled the information.